UH Army ROTC Salutes Scholarship Recipients, Future Officers

UH Army ROTC students officially became contracted cadets and received scholarships. Upon graduation, they will enter the U.S. Army as commissioned officers.

Friends, families and faculty watched on as 11 students in
the University of Houston’s Army ROTC program took a major step in their
military careers.

During a recent ceremony in the O’Quinn Great Hall of UH’s
Alumni and Athletics Center (AAC), these ROTC students officially became
contracted cadets in the U.S. Army. Upon graduation, they will enter the U.S.
Army as commissioned officers. Ten of these students also were awarded scholarships.

Others supporting their accomplishments included UH
battalion officers and UH’s corps of cadets. Following a recitation of the
cadet creed, the contracting cadets were recognized. They also received framed certificates to commemorate this momentous occasion, as well as
their cadet uniforms.

Since fall 2012, the number of UH ROTC cadets with
scholarships has expanded from 16 to 30. Lt. Col. Michael J. Smith, battalion
commander and professor of military science, anticipates a consistent increase
in ROTC scholarships. By fall 2013, UH Army ROTC will have up to 42 cadets on
scholarship, Smith said. He attributes this consistent rise in scholarships to
the quality of cadets entering UH’s ROTC program.

Scholarships presented during this ceremony included:

Science Technology Engineering Mathematics
(STEM) - one awarded

Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty (Requiring
service in U.S. Army Reserves following graduation) - six awarded

Campus Based - three awarded based on
performance and participation in UH Army ROTC

UH’s Army ROTC program is comprised of 100 cadets, who are
enrolled at UH and local universities including Texas Southern University,
UH-Downtown and the University of St. Thomas.

Kevin McEnery, a freshman mechanical engineering major,
earned the STEM scholarship and said that UH Army ROTC has been invaluable in
his academic and professional development.

“With any kind of professional career, you always need to
know how to lead,” he said. “The program here at UH has helped me with my
communication and leadership skills and has taught me to step up and be more
involved.”

His fellow cadet Jocelyn Salvador, a freshman accounting
major, served as battalion commander for her high school’s ROTC unit. She also
credits UH’s program with enhancing her abilities as a leader, as well as how
to be a productive team member.

“There’s no ‘I’ in team,” she said. “To be a leader, you
have to follow first and then become a leader. It’s a way of learning to work
with other people, which is important whether you’re in the classroom or on a
mission.”